Chapter 909 - Returning to the Central Plains

Liu Wuxie took the list and scanned through it, silently committing each name to memory.

"These are just the initial selections. You can make adjustments if you find an issue with it," Mu Tianli said, seated across from Liu Wuxie. The list wasn't final, and changes could be made anytime.

"No need. This list is perfect," Liu Wuxie replied, waving his hand. In the early stages of their expansion, he needed people he could trust, and their strength didn't matter to him. It would be futile if their hearts couldn't be aligned, even if they were strong.

The three chosen grand elders were Gao Gu, Mei Zhi, and another elder whom Liu Wuxie knew well. The third grand elder had supported him back on the island.

Tian Xing was also selected to accompany the group, tasked with overseeing discipline and law. His presence meant that the rules and standards of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion would be upheld even in the Central Plains.

Mu Yueying was also on the list. Mu Tianli had decided to send her to the Central Plains to train.

The other selected disciples were a mixture of Heavenly Dao Society members and those with exceptional talent. These people had proven their loyalty to the sect by fighting on the frontlines in the recent war.

After sending Mu Tianli off, Liu Wuxie remained seated in the hall.

"Wuxie, Wuxie, the person you asked to meet is here," Fan Zhen said as he entered, a nervous-looking youth following behind.

"I pay my respects to the Peak Master!" Chen Zheng bowed the moment he came in. After joining the sect, he had reported to the Heavenly Dao Society, waiting for Liu Wuxie's summons.

However, Liu Wuxie had been preoccupied with setting up the spiritual array and only had the time to meet him now.

"Old Fan, what do you think of him?" Liu Wuxie asked.

"He has great potential," Fan Zhen replied. "The fact that he was the first to step forward back then shows he has a strong sense of justice."

Liu Wuxie had met countless people, and he could tell at a glance that Chen Zheng had a good nature. The youth's willingness to step forward at that moment proved he was straightforward and true to his heart.

Fan Zhen had been observing Chen Zheng over the past few days and had concluded that the youth was exceptional, both in character and talent.

"Good. Let him assist you from now on so you can focus on your cultivation," Liu Wuxie instructed. Fan Zhen had been too occupied with the Heavenly Dao Society's affairs and was falling behind in his cultivation.

"Since the day I chose to follow you, I've only done what I should," Fan Zhen replied with a bright smile. Still, he couldn't deny that the endless responsibilities had hindered his cultivation.

Though there were others who could help with his workload, few had earned his trust. Bi Gongyu, Lan Yu, Song Ling, and the others were burdened with their own duties and equally pressed for time.

Fan Zhen was satisfied with Chen Zheng's performance during the past few days and concluded that the latter was a talent worth nurturing.

"Take him with you, and we will leave in two days," Liu Wuxie instructed as he dismissed them.

Meanwhile, the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's recruitment had ended. They had recruited more than twenty thousand disciples, accelerating the sect's expansion.

On the final day, Liu Wuxie began preparations to set up a teleportation array on the main peak that would connect directly to the Central Plains. While it was impossible to complete the entire spiritual array with his current strength, he could lay the foundation.

For the teleportation array to function, it needed to be established at both ends. Liu Wuxie would construct one within the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion and planned to build the corresponding array at the Liu Clan in the Central Plains. This would allow seamless travel between the two regions and greatly benefit their future operations.

"Wuxie, do you think it will work, considering the vast distance?" Mu Tianli asked.

"Let's give it a try," Liu Wuxie replied.

He wasn't entirely confident as he began inscribing spiritual runes. They would only know if it worked once the teleportation array was also set up in the Liu Clan.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and those selected gathered together. They were all excited, and the sect's upper echelons had come to see them off.

"Wuxie, we'll await great news from you. I'll send more people over once things are stable in the Central Plains," Mu Tianli said, anticipating Liu Wuxie's performance in the Central Plains.

Liu Wuxie nodded. Perhaps it wouldn't be long before the boundaries between the Central Plains and the Southern Province vanished entirely, forming a unified continent, where what was once a distant land could be reached within a day's travel.

"Board the ship!" Liu Wuxie said.

The journey ahead was long, and traveling on foot would take far too much time. With the warship, however, they could reach the Central Plains in just twenty days.

One by one, everyone boarded the vessel, with Liu Wuxie being the last to step on.

"Senior Brother Liu, take care of yourself!" Bai Lin and Tang Tian teared up; their hearts felt empty. They also yearned to follow Liu Wuxie on his adventures.

Cupping his fists in farewell, Liu Wuxie guided the warship into the sky. It soared upward and cut across the horizon like a streak of light. In that moment, the legend of Liu Wuxie was etched into the Southern Province's history—one that would continue to spread far and wide.

Both the Transcendent Plume Gate and Demonic Heart Palace had lowered their stance and actively sought peace with the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion. The power structure in the Southern Province had dropped from ten major sects to five.

This allowed each sect to receive more resources, causing countless prodigies to emerge before they were sent to the Central Plains. They all hoped that these disciples would return like Liu Wuxie one day.

"Brother Liu, that doesn't seem to be the direction to the Central Plains!" Lin Tong walked over with a puzzled expression.

He had successfully married Mu Yueying, and they were embarking on their journey to the Central Plains together.

"I have to make a trip to the Western Barren to see an old acquaintance," Liu Wuxie explained. He was planning to see Mu Yueying.

It had been a year since they had last met, and Liu Wuxie couldn't help but wonder how she was doing now. Though Mu Yueying wasn't his rightful wife, she was the first woman he had been truly intimate with.

As the warship soared above the vast expanse of the Western Barren, Liu Wuxie soon recognized the place where he had first encountered Fiery.

The Western Barren was even more vast than the Southern Province, its landscape dominated by towering mountain ranges. Even Liu Wuxie couldn't begin to guess how many ancient races lay hidden within those rugged peaks.

They reached the Western Barren five days later. Over the past year, the Murong Clan had gradually regained stability and begun to flourish.

Murong Shan and Murong Tianze welcomed Liu Wuxie with joy, but he couldn't fully share in their happiness—not after learning that Murong Yi had already departed for the Central Plains. She had broken through to the True Profound Realm and left half a month earlier. If he had arrived just a little sooner, they might have crossed paths.

He didn't linger long with the Murong Clan. Instead, he left behind a large supply of resources and encouraged them to strengthen their relationship with the Southern Province. Doing so would greatly benefit the clan's long-term development.

The Murong Clan, though promising, remained underdeveloped due to a lack of resources. Establishing ties with the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion would unlock new opportunities and bring about lasting growth.

The warship vanished into the horizon once more.

His heart remained heavy with concern for the two women, unsure of what dangers they might face in the vast and unpredictable Central Plains.

"Big Brother Liu, don't worry. I believe they will be fine," Jian Xin'er and Chen Ruoyan comforted Liu Wuxie when they saw how worried he was.

"I'm fine. I've just made you two worry." Liu Wuxie said, gently caressing their heads, and taking a deep breath before regaining his composure.

Ten days later, the warship finally entered the Central Plains. When they crossed the boundary, an influx of laws began surging. The effects were immediate, with more than half of the people making a breakthrough in their cultivation.

The warship, saturated with spiritual energy, had become a cultivation haven during the journey. Everyone had taken advantage of the past half month to refine and deepen their cultivation.

"This is the Central Plains?" Bi Gongyu's eyes sparkled with excitement. When he first became the chief alchemist of Treasure Pill Peak, he had thought that was the peak of his life's achievement. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he'd go on to become the chief alchemist of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

Now that he had stepped into the Central Plains, he knew a vaster world awaited him.

"These mountains feel ancient..." Lan Yu and the others, including the three grand elders, muttered as they gazed out the window with awe.

Though their cultivation was high, it was their first time stepping into the heart of the Central Plains—a land of legends and legacy.

During the journey, Liu Wuxie brought out the Central Plains Record—a meticulously compiled volume detailing the region's geography and power dynamics—so that everyone could gain a clear understanding of the terrain and forces they would soon face.

After flying for another two days, they finally crossed the mountain ranges and entered the Liu Clan's territory. Even before the warship drew near, Fiery had already sensed Liu Wuxie's presence.

An inexplicable bond existed between divine beasts, and the moment Liu Wuxie set foot in the Central Plains, Fiery had sensed his presence and darted out. It had waited faithfully at the Liu Clan's gates for days, anticipating his return.

It was no secret that a divine beast stood guard outside the Liu Clan's gates. Over the past few days, many had arrived with hidden motives, only to be swiftly executed by the Liu Clan. Most, however, came simply to witness the majesty of a legendary divine beast.

Fiery's action quickly drew the Liu Clan's attention, and the news of Liu Wuxie's return spread fast.

When Liu Tian had returned and recounted the events of that fateful day, he was promptly beaten by Liu Dayue and placed under a month-long house arrest. Abandoning Liu Wuxie and fleeing alone was an unforgivable offense. If anything had happened to Liu Wuxie, Liu Dayue wouldn't have hesitated to cripple him. In the Liu Clan, betraying family was the ultimate taboo.

On this day, a large crowd had gathered outside the Liu Clan, with Fiery letting out deafening roars that could be heard in the Astral Glory City.

"Look, there's a warship approaching!"

Flight was forbidden above the Astral Glory City, and Liu Wuxie had to make a detour before arriving at the Liu Clan's gate.

When everyone disembarked the warship, the first to step off was Xu Yilin, who swept his gaze around.

"Brother!" Liu Dashan shouted as he rushed forward at the sight of Xu Yilin, pulling him into a tight embrace. Tears streamed down both their faces.

Despite being apart for over a decade, their brotherly bond remained as strong as ever; perhaps it was even stronger than before.

"Big Brother!" Xu Yilin pounded on Liu Dashan's back. Their reunion also brought tears to many people's eyes, as everyone had long learned of Liu Wuxie's past.

They knew that the Xu Clan had raised Liu Wuxie, and they all bore deep gratitude for them.

"Brother, don't leave now that you're here. We have so many years to make up for!" Liu Dashan said with a wide grin, dragging Xu Yilin along as he eagerly introduced him to everyone in the Liu Clan, as if they were now one big family.

Xu Yilin respectfully bowed to everyone he was introduced to, especially Liu Xiucheng.

"Brother, where's Xue'er?" Liu Dashan finally asked, referring to Xu Lingxue by the affectionate nickname he had used since her childhood. But she was nowhere in sight, despite being Liu Wuxie's rightful wife.